HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2008 / NOVEMBER/DECEMBER / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
VOLUME 9, ISSUE 6

---

D E P A R T M E N T S

LETTERS to the Editor

 

Answer to my prayers

All I can say is, Wow! I am overwhelmed with how good the Lord Jesus really is! Your magazine came into my hands just recently for the first time. My sister received it and passed it on to me. We are not Adventists but somehow the Lord sent it our way. I want to explain, so let me backtrack a bit.

Twenty years ago, I was employed at a business owned by Seventh-day Adventists. There were many Adventists working there, so I became close friends with them. I was away from the Lord at that time, so I credit these folks for lovingly pointing me back to Jesus. I am grateful for their testimony in my life. But, one time I attended their church, and at the point in the service where it would seem appropriate to have an altar call to accept Jesus, the call was made to accept the Sabbath. Something inside of me just went into "tilt" mode as I realized how wrong this was. As time went by, I also saw the error in their doctrine and the futility of trying to keep absolutely any law. With Jesus, our heart is the issue, and we can no more keep any law than fly to the moon unaided! We need a Savior! Praise God for Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith!

In the years since, I have been involved in different prayer ministries. One of my main prayers has been for the Seventh-day Adventist church—mainly that any error would be exposed by the Holy Spirit and that these lovely people would be set free. When I first saw your magazine, I thought it was just another Signs of the Times type. As I began to read, my heart leaped within me, and I rejoiced at what the Lord had done!!! In your testimonies and magazine I am seeing God's answer to my prayers, and I can't even describe how that makes me feel! It is truly a miracle of God.

I dearly love the Seventh-day Adventists that are still in my life, but I have had to set boundaries as to not attending their home Bible studies, etc. I attend a regular Bible church and still pray for my friends. I have no doubt that God is able to set all men free!! Amen! Jesus' death, burial and resurrection were not in vain.

Whitmore, CA

 

Good job

I just wanted to say that I think you all are doing a great job. I am an evangelist from the US but live in New Zealand. Reading Adventists' responses [to your magazine] just reinforces that they have the attitude of a cult. Like so many, they claim their faith is based on the Bible and not Ellen G. White (EGW). I just spoke to a pair of Adventists. They claimed that their belief was in the Bible. I told them that regardless of how they sliced it, EGW was part of their foundation. In explaining this, I told them that she "interpreted" the Bible or, in some cases, "reinterpreted" passages, and that is what their faith rested on. Finally they understood my view about this matter.

When I stated that Adventists believe that Michael the Archangel is Jesus, one said she did not believe that but was surprised when her friend told her that they did believe that. We went on to talk about other topics for about an hour, and it was just sad in listening to the elements of their speech. They said,

1. they had the most truth,
2. all the evangelical churches were wrong,
3. their prophet was used by God.

In short, you keep up the good job and stand firm. Those Adventists who reject what you have to say are just blind to the truth. God bless you all!

New Zealand

 

Oversized EGO

Please stop sending the magazine Proclamation! to me. As far as I can determine, the only thing that you do is bash the Adventists. I never see anything in the magazine that would draw me to try to live a better Christian life. It would seem that the only thing that Dale Ratzlaff and his staff are really interested in is trying to draw more Adventists into his fold so he can become richer and feed his oversized EGO. What happened to spirituality and seeking the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person's life? Or don't you people need the Holy Spirit in your life?

You people are very inconsistent. You preach that we don't need to keep the fourth commandment, but we need to keep all the rest. Why, if God did away with the fourth commandment, do we need to keep the other nine? I know that the biggest reason most of the ex-Adventists join your group and keep Sunday is because you had a guilty conscience when you thought you were doing things on the Sabbath that you shouldn't be doing, and that by believing that Sunday is the correct day to keep, then you can do whatever you want to do on the Sabbath and Sunday and no longer have a guilty conscience. And by persuading as many Adventists as you can to stop keeping Sabbath and join your organization, you somehow clear you conscience even more.

God bless, and I plan to meet you in Heaven if we all live our lives so that in God's plan we are safe to save and will not cause God problems if we are there. Then, if God did away with the keeping of the Sabbath on the seventh day, I will believe it when he explains it to me. Keep the Faith.

Angwin, CA

 

Rightly giving the gospel

I just wanted to encourage you to continue to explore relevant subjects that I find fascinating and challenging. No, I'm not an ex-Adventist, but I'm interested in the topics related to law and grace in the new life of Christ. I cannot believe that there are whole schools of thought that would cling to the Sabbath and all the other feasts and statues of the old covenant. At the same time, each one of us can veer away from the truth of the gospel into error and needless bondage. As I see it, you are rightly giving the simplicity of the gospel in many challenging and enlightening articles. Keep up the good work; or rather, His work through your ministry.

I am praying that the Lord of the Sabbath would pour His revelation into those hearts who are vehemently arguing against your stances of freedom in Christ.

Via email

 

Jehovah's Witness of the mailbox

If you TRULY believe in freedom and liberty for individuals you will IMMEDIATELY remove my name from your mailing list. Your organization has become the Jehovah's Witness of the mailbox.

Grand Terrace, CA

 

Sorting through the fog

I can't even put into words what your ministry has meant in my life. Finding the forum (www.formeradventist.com) and resources that you make public helped me to sort through all the fog as the veil was lifted 4+ years ago. Even though I don't post much anymore as it's just hard to keep up now that my toddler keeps me so busy, I still check in and read what's going on. It's comforting to know there's a place to turn where everyone has a similar background and faith in Christ. I treasure each Proclamation! as though it were gold. You provide excellent, thoughtful articles each time, and it's yet another way of staying connected. I know that in your public positions, you face a lot of criticism and hate directed your way, and those of us who benefit from your time and dedication don't tell you what you mean to us nearly enough to balance that out. Please know that you are among my heroes of faith! We pray that God will always multiply the blessings to you that you have made available and poured out to us! I treasure "knowing" you—and if you ever have a need that you think I might be able to help with, please know that I'd delight in returning even a small portion of a favor!

Eau Claire, MI

 

Satan has invaded my home

Please cancel this magazine. I don't know why it ever started coming to my home, but I am not a "former" SDA, I am an ACTIVE Seventh-day Adventist, and I feel as if Satan has invaded my home each time I get one of these magazines. I don't even want it being seen in my trash can, so please do not send another issue. Take my name off your mailing list.

Sallisaw, OK

 

Devouring Proclamation!

Thank-you so much for your ministry and all you do at Proclamation! and in the former Adventist forum (www.formeradventist.com)—I'm currently going through the Bible study on Romans [online at www.formeradventist.com).

I was Adventist for 24 years, and I've been saved for 14 years now, and undoing the damage of unbiblical theology is still an ongoing process. Proclamation! has helped me so much in the last several months that I've been reading—or should I say devouring each issue that comes out. You folks do an excellent job of explaining the principles of scripture. My prayers are with you. Thank-you.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Saying negative things

Take me off your mailing list. If you feel you're right in your belief, then stop attacking the Adventists. Everyone has a choice in how they worship God. I don't like how you say negative things about Adventists. May God help us all to be ready when He comes; life is too short and the Bible is fulfilling before our eyes.

San Francisco, CA

 

Take me off

I did not order your Proclamation! magazine. I have no idea where you got my name. Please take me off your mailing list as I am not interested in receiving it. I don't know where you get some of your ideas or information to write those articles—not from the Bible, God's holy inspired Word. The Bible, by the way, teaches tithing as 10% back to God. Look at texts in the Old Testament as well as the New, and you will see what God tells us to do. I am finding you interpret things as you think, and not as the Bible reads. Again, please do not send any more magazines.

Lansing, MI

 

Future sins forgiven?

I came across your May/June issue this morning while cleaning my office. I read it carefully last month, and this morning I read it again and studied some of the verses quoted or referred to.

The new covenant promises given to us once in the Old Testament (Jeremiah) and twice in the New (Hebrews) are very clear. The new covenant is the law of God written in our hearts, giving us the willingness and the power through God's grace to keep them. Just so there would be absolutely no misunderstanding, Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law." "Till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall be done away." I realize that I am only 1 person out of six billion plus, but unless I am dreaming and living on another planet, this earth and the heavens are still here.

I have no thought of being unkind towards any of you, but "come now, let us reason together"! How can my future sins be forgiven now? Are you folks selling indulgences? 1 John 1:9 makes it plain God's requirements for forgiveness of sin, i.e. "If we confess…"

So, I confess my sin that I am going to do in the future, accept His forgiveness, then go out and do it? Isn't that called the sin of presumption? I would certainly grant you that God has made provision for future sins as we grow in grace and grow up into Christ. But we must be very careful that we do not teach people that they may sin without experiencing terrible consequences, i.e. David's sin. (See Romans 1:16-18).

The true gospel is the power of God to overcome sin in our lives, Romans 1:16. Sinning (1 John 3:4) while preaching grace and "freedom from the law" will—according to Romans 1:18—bring the wrath of God upon any of us who preach and teach the word.

Please consider the eight promises to those who overcome in the book of Revelation. Their names will not be blotted out of the book of life.

You have made my heart very sad by promising life to those who continue to break God's law. You strengthen those who are doing wrong. Please consider Ezekiel 13:22.

An Adventist pastor, AZ

 

Editor's response: I understand your concern. To address your questions, I want to back up to your references to the law not being destroyed or passing away until heaven and earth are destroyed (Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17). Jesus stated He came not to destroy but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). Fulfilling the terms of a legal agreement—a will or living trust, for example—never means the agreement is abolished. Rather fulfillment means those to whom the document promises certain things, receive them. Jesus fulfilled the law and gave it all its meaning. He took it out of the function of "shadow" (Heb. 10:1; 8:5-6; Col. 2:16-17) and became everything it foreshadowed and demanded.

By receiving Christ and His sacrifice for our sin, we receive the literal Living Law as our authority. We receive God Himself, and when we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) we are no longer under law—under the shadow of good things to come—but under the direct authority and command of God who indwells us Himself. We receive the Fulfilled Law rather than merely the written shadow.

When we are made alive in Christ, God literally transfers us out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col 1:13). This transfer involves our being made alive in Christ by His regeneration of our spirits (Ephesians 2:1-9). This new life is what Jesus referred to when He talked to Nicodemus in John 3:5-6: "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

When our spirits are made alive by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we pass out of our natural state of sin (the domain of darkness), and sin no longer has dominion over us. Our bodes are still mortal, and we still will be tempted and sometimes sin (Romans 7), but these sins do not destroy or remove the Holy Spirit indwelling us and uniting our spirits with Him. Our natural condition of "sin" is reversed; we are now spiritually alive instead of dead.

When we have been made alive in Christ by the life of God, we are finally able to trust God instead of giving into temptation. Romans 8 explains that living by the Spirit means there is "now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). It further states that "if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness" (v. 10).

Because we have been transferred out of our natural state of inherent sin in the domain of darkness, our subsequent sins do not cause us to lose the life of God in us. In other words, we do not lose our new birth, our standing as God's own adopted sons and daughters (Romans 8:15-17). Even though our bodies are still dead and we may commit sins, our spiritual life remains. Nothing can separate us from the love of God when we are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39).

In no sense do we advocate disobedience to God. Accepting Jesus' sacrifice for our sins does not mean we throw morality to the wind. Quite the opposite! Now, instead of trying to overcome sin in order to gain eternal victory, we are approaching sin from the position of already being victorious.

Jesus is our Substitute, and His righteousness is now covering us. Now, with His Spirit and His victory, we finally have an Advocate. When we are tempted, we can now surrender the moment to Him instead of being overcome by sin.

If I fall into temptation, the indwelling Holy Spirit gives me no rest until I repent and surrender my weakness to Him. None of these episodes removes my new birth! On this side of being born again, dealing with sin is a matter of surrendering the moment to the Lord Jesus rather than struggling with our will power to overcome temptation.

When Jesus saves us, He forgives all our sin; He gives us His Spirit and a new heart; he hides us with Himself in God (Col 3:3). He removes all condemnation (Romans 8:1), and He promises that we have crossed from death into life (John 5:24). Nothing can snatch us from His and His Father's hands (John 10:27-30), and nothing—not even death—can separate us from His love (Romans 8:37-39).

 

Not on my own

For so long I thought I was on my own. What an amazing thing to find your site and find that I am not on this journey alone after all!

I was a third generation Adventist—on both sides of the family—and when I walked away years ago, I felt quite alone. And I experienced all of the built-in guilt that goes with "leaving the truth". God worked on me for years, probably longer than I realized, and finally led me to an evangelical church. That started my journey back, and each step of the way has seemed amazing and challenging. But God has never left me and continues to lead me in growth. Growing up in Adventist schools I had a background in Bible training, but it took exposure to loving, praising Christians to show me how to worship. It took a new friend who is new to believing in God to show me how a simple, open, childlike faith is worth more than years of classroom training.

I followed that new friend to a new church and found an even more wonderful, vibrant, living body of Christ who show true love and compassion and a mission spirit. Never again will I smugly believe that I have "the truth" and all others are wrong. God leads us each from where we are and brings us to Him so that we can grow and learn. He wants so much more than outward behavior and adherence to rules. He wants our whole heart and love and worship.

I found your website just after you started putting all the older issues of Proclamation! on line. After reading the first one I couldn't wait to get to the others. I went back to the beginning and started printing them all. I went through a lot of printer cartridges, but it was worth it! I have found so much help in reprogramming the mental tapes that are so deeply ingrained after a lifetime of Adventist indoctrination. Some of those tapes are still running and pop up at the worst times, but I have found that going back to the Scriptures and calling on the name of Jesus in prayer soothes the unrest and brings me back to the truth. I may never be totally free of those warnings and threats, but perhaps that is what faith is all about: believing and clinging to Jesus even when the doubts creep in and try to drown out His voice. There is nothing like taking the Bible at its word to drown out the doubts and fears of not being sure of your salvation!

I am also frequently amazed at how clear and understandable the Bible is now that I threw away the doctrinal filters I used to use. Romans, Galatians, Ephesians and even the great Revelation are now open and understandable. They are full of such love and hope (anticipation, not the cross-your-fingers and hope) that they are a joy to read. When they are read with faith and prayer, instead of trying to plug them into a belief system, God speaks through them and brings them alive.

I am saddened by some of the letters printed in the back of each edition. Those that agree with you are full of love and thanks; those that are from people still trapped in that system are usually negative and almost hateful. Almost none of them use any Scripture to counter anything you say but just fall back on the old "we are right so everyone else must be wrong" mentality.

God bless you and your ministry as you continue to try to lead people out of bondage to human systems and into the freedom of the love of Christ.

VIA EMAIL

 

Difficult Year

It has been a little over a year since my husband, children, and I left the Seventh-day Adventist Church we grew up in. What a difficult year this has been for us too! This is why we are so grateful for the helpful information and support offered through the Former Adventist Fellowship website. We check in periodically to skim over the articles in the Proclamation! magazine as well. It has been a while though since we've last taken a look at the website. This afternoon I visited the site and noticed the cover page of the [July/August] Proclamation!—"What happens when we die?" Thank you for writing on this topic. Less than 3 weeks ago, our full term baby girl was stillborn.

GRESHAM, OREGON
 

---

Send letters to the editor to:

Editor, Proclamation! Magazine
P.O. Box 7776
Redlands, CA 92375

Or email editor: proclamation@gmail.com

Life Assurance Ministries

Mission

To proclaim the good news of the new covenant gospel of grace in Christ and to combat the errors of legalism and false religion.

 

Motto

Truth needs no other foundation than honest investigation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a willingness to follow truth when it is revealed.

 

Message

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9

Another Gospel (a song)

They preached to me another gospel
They preached to me another lord
They preached to me a different gospel
One that would kill like a sword

Hey little children, did He not warn us
That the counterfeit would come
Hey little children, did they not fool us
Because we were so young

Hey little children, did He not free us
So that we could be reborn
Hey little children, they won't defeat us
Though their hearts be filled with scorn

For we are the sheep outside his pasture
—That He did call
And we are that one He left the fold for
—To give his all

They preached to me another gospel
They preached to me another lord
They preached to me a different gospel
One that would kill like a sword

—Autumn McMinimy